Birth Activist is hosting a blog carnival in honor of Women's History Month, asking that individuals write about their herione when it comes to childbirth and pregnancy. I briefly considered writing about Laura Shanley. She has done quite a bit to advocate for unassisted birthers. However, while I admire what she has done, I've always... Continue Reading →
developing responsibility…
Responsibility isn't something we can impose on our children. There isn't a formula on how to explain responsibility to them and suddenly have them be the compassionate, caring, committed individuals we hope they will be. Responsibility is something that has to grow from within the child. It finds direction in the values absorbed from the child's home and... Continue Reading →
between parent and child…
Before Alfie Kohn, Pam Leo, Naomi Aldort, or many of the other consensually living authors of our time, there was Dr. Haim Ginott. Ginott revolutionized the parenting and psychology worlds with his new philosophy on communicating with children. His book, Between Parent and Child, was on the national best seller list for over a year when it was written... Continue Reading →
I nurse my children…
This post is part of the 2010 API Principles of Parenting blog carnival, a series of monthly parenting blog carnivals, hosted by API Speaks. Learn more about attachment parenting by visiting the API website. I'm a low supply mom, and as such, I don't make enough milk for my children. We knew this was a... Continue Reading →
encouraging lies…
Most parents don't want their children to lie, but sometimes they unknowingly encourage just that by their own behavior. In order to avoid this, we need to make certain that we don't set up situations which promote lying. Provoked lies are a type of defensive lie. No one wants to feel interrogated or trapped by someone... Continue Reading →
responding versus reacting…
I once had a parent tell me that the reason she didn't like consensual living was because she felt that first thinking about your response in a situation was "fake parenting." In order to be "real," she thought it was important for the parent to say whatever was first thought. However, that isn't responsive parenting;... Continue Reading →
raising a thinking child…
Most parents want their children to be equipped to handle life when they are grown. The skills needed to do this are ones that we can help them with right now. Rather than handling situations for them, and hence taking responsibility for our children, we can show responsibility to our children by helping them to problem solve and... Continue Reading →
the perfect parent myth…
Every parent makes mistakes. It's part of being human. We have an entire lifetime of baggage following us around which we have to work through in order to bypass and move on. Many of us, in an attempt to improve ourselves as people and parents, actively strive to do better for our kids. We hope... Continue Reading →
kid time…
When our older two children were 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 years old, our family went to Home Depot. While a trip to Home Depot may be utilitarian for many adults, although I won't deny the look of glee I've seen in the eyes of some people I've seen there, the place holds a magic... Continue Reading →
this is not a democracy…
One of the main complaints I hear from AP parents concerning consensual living is that while they agree that children are people, they don't think their children should have as much say in certain matters...ranging anywhere from house payments to bedtimes. They seem to be under the impression that our household, and others like it,... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 